On graphs with equal total domination and Grundy total domination numbers

Abstract

A sequence $$(v_1,\ldots ,v_k)$$ of vertices in a graph G without isolated vertices is called a total dominating sequence if every vertex $$v_i$$ in the sequence totally dominates at least one vertex that was not totally dominated by $$\{v_1,\ldots , v_{i-1}\}$$ and $$\{v_1,\ldots ,v_k\}$$ is a total dominating set of G. The length of a shortest such sequence is the total domination number of G ( $$\gamma _{t}(G)$$ ), while the length of a longest such sequence is the Grundy total domination number of G ( $$\gamma _{gr}^t(G)$$ ). In this paper we study graphs with equal total and Grundy total domination numbers. We characterize bipartite graphs with both total and Grundy total dominations number equal to 4, and show that there is no connected chordal graph G with $$\gamma _{t}(G)=\gamma _{gr}^t(G)=4$$ . The main result of the paper is a characterization of bipartite graphs with $$\gamma _{t}(G)=\gamma _{gr}^t(G)=6$$ proved by establishing a surprising correspondence between the existence of such graphs and a classical but still open problem of the existence of certain finite projective planes.